HEAD NURSES' AND CO-WORKERS' EFFECT ON THE ROLE CONCEPTIONS AND ROLE DEPRIVATIONS OF STAFF NURSES.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 169
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of head nurses and co-workers on the professional and bureaucratic role conceptions of staff nurses. Research questions were: (1) Is there a significant difference among the role conception scores of recently employed nurses, head nurses, and co-workers? (2) Is a discrepancy between head nurses' and staff nurses' role conception scores associated with level of role deprivation? (3) Do staff nurses identify more with head nurses or co-workers? (4) Are the professional role conception scores of recent baccalaureate nursing graduates higher than that of other staff nurses? (5) Is the bureaucratic role conception of head nurses higher than that of staff nurses?.

This study was based on a sample of 9 head nurses, 15 recently employed staff nurses and 75 practicing staff nurses selected nonrandomly. The Corwin Role Conception and Role Deprivation Scale and Personal Data Form were administered to the participants. Nonparametric statistics were used to test the hypotheses.

Major findings suggested that: (1) The role conception scores of recently employed nurses were not significantly different than those of head nurses and co-workers, after 3 months of employment. (2) Discrepancy between staff nurses' and head nurses' role conceptions was not associated with role deprivation. (3) Staff nurses identified equally head nurses and co-workers. (4) Professional role conception scores of recent baccalaureate nursing graduates were not significantly higher than that of practicing baccalaureate prepared nurses or nurses prepared in other programs. (5) Bureaucratic role conception scores of head nurses were not significantly higher than that of staff nurses.

The expectations of the study were that after 3 months, recently employed nurses would change their role conception scores to that of their head nurses. The sample for these observations were 4 nurses working with highly professional head nurses and 3 nurses working with highly bureaucratic head nurses. Among nurses working with highly professional head nurses, all bureaucratic scores decreased. Among nurses working with highly bureaucratic head nurses, all professional scores decreased, after 3 months of employment. Recommendations for practice, education, and research are discussed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-02, Section: B, page: 0476.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1984.

School code: 0227.